Is Low-Carb Ice Cream Keto-Friendly?

The ketogenic (keto) diet is a high-fat, moderate-protein, and low-carbohydrate diet. While ice cream is not usually considered keto-friendly, several ice cream brands offer keto-friendly options, including Halo Top, Edy's, Enlightened, So Delicious, and Rebel. These ice creams are made with sugar substitutes and are low in net carbs, making them suitable for people following a keto diet. However, it's important to note that keto ice cream may be higher in calories and fat than regular ice cream, and it's always recommended to consult with a healthcare provider before starting any diet.

Best keto ice cream brands

The ketogenic (keto) diet is high in fat, moderate in protein, and low in carbohydrates. While ice cream is not usually a keto-friendly food, several ice cream makers have created keto-friendly varieties. These ice cream brands use sugar substitutes and sugar alcohols to keep the carbohydrate content low.

Rebel

Rebel is a popular keto ice cream brand that uses cream, water, erythritol, vegetable glycerin, egg yolks, chicory root fiber, milk protein isolate, natural flavours, salt, and gums to create a creamy texture and mouthfeel. Rebel ice cream is higher in fat and calories compared to other brands, making it a good choice for those following a keto diet. It offers a wide range of flavours, including Butter Pecan, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Banana Peanut Butter Chip, Mint Chip, and Salted Caramel. Rebel ice cream is available online and at major grocery stores, including Walmart.

Enlightened

Enlightened offers a variety of keto-friendly ice cream options, including both dairy and non-dairy varieties. Their ingredients include cream, water, peanuts, egg yolks, non-GMO soluble corn fiber, erythritol, allulose, cocoa, peanut oil, milk protein concentrate, vegetable glycerin, and gums. Enlightened's keto ice cream has a good balance of fat and carbohydrates, with one serving of the Chocolate Peanut Butter flavour containing 21 grams of fat and 14 grams of carbohydrates. Enlightened also offers keto-friendly cheesecakes, cookies, and other desserts. Their products are available at Walmart and on their website, where they offer sales and free shipping on orders over $50.

Halo Top

Halo Top offers a range of keto-friendly ice cream flavours, including Caramel Butter Pecan, Chocolate Caramel Lava Cake, Macadamia Nut Cookie, Mint Chocolate Cookie, and Peanut Butter Chocolate. Their ice cream is higher in protein compared to other keto-friendly brands, with a range of 5 to 10 grams of net carbs per pint and 200 calories or less per serving. Halo Top also has dairy-free and egg-free options. Their products can be purchased online and at major grocery stores.

So Delicious

So Delicious is a dairy-free, no-sugar-added ice cream brand that uses full-fat coconut milk as its base. Their ingredients include organic coconut milk, chicory root extract, acacia gum, erythritol, vegetable glycerin, pea protein, guar gum, sea salt, locust bean gum, monk fruit extract, and natural flavours. A serving of their Vanilla Bean flavour provides 130 calories and 9 grams of total fat, with 24 grams of total carbohydrates and 10 grams of net carbs. So Delicious products are available at grocery stores like Kroger and online.

Arctic Zero

Arctic Zero is a keto-friendly, dairy-free ice cream made with plant fibres and faba bean protein. Their ingredients include purified water, organic cane sugar, allulose, sugarcane fibre, vegetable fibre, faba bean protein concentrate, gum blend, natural flavours, sea salt, turmeric, and monk fruit concentrate. Arctic Zero stands out for its lack of sugar alcohols, making it a good choice for those sensitive to sugar alcohol intake. However, it is fat-free, which may not be ideal for a keto diet. Their products can be purchased online and at select grocery stores.

KETO Foods

KETO Foods offers a range of keto-friendly products, including ice cream pints, ice cream bars, and chocolate. Their ice cream is made with cream, egg yolks, and erythritol, resulting in a high-fat, low-carbohydrate dessert. Their Peanut Butter Fudge Swirl flavour is a popular choice, with one serving containing 250 calories, 22 grams of carbohydrates, and 3 grams of net carbs. KETO Foods products can be ordered from their website or through their store locator.

Breyer's Carb Smart

Breyer's Carb Smart is a budget-friendly keto ice cream option. While it is lower in fat compared to other keto-friendly brands, it still fits into a keto diet due to its low total carbohydrate content. Their Coffee Cookie Crunch flavour contains skim milk, cream, maltitol syrup, water, polydextrose, coconut oil, glycerin, coffee extract, whey, and other ingredients. Breyer's Carb Smart can be ordered from their website or found using their store locator.

Is low-carb ice cream suitable for diabetics?

People with diabetes need to monitor their blood sugar (glucose) levels, and managing this is crucial for controlling the disease. While ice cream is not entirely off-limits for diabetics, it is important to consider how it will affect blood sugar levels.

Ice cream is usually high in carbohydrates from refined and processed sugars, which can cause blood sugar spikes. However, low-carb ice cream is now widely available, and these varieties are lower in sugar, sugar-free, or use alternative sweeteners, so they have less impact on blood glucose.

When choosing a low-carb ice cream, it is best to opt for those with natural sweeteners such as stevia, allulose, and monk fruit, which do not appear to impact blood glucose or insulin levels. Sugar alcohols like xylitol and erythritol have minimal or no effect on glucose and insulin, but they can upset some people's digestive systems.

It is also important to consider the fat content of low-carb ice cream. While fat from dairy or dairy alternatives like coconut milk can deliver the creamy, scoopable texture associated with "real" ice cream, a higher fat content may offer better consistency and a more satisfying flavor. However, people with diabetes have a higher risk of heart disease, so it is crucial to limit other foods containing saturated fat on the days they plan to eat ice cream.

• Rebel: A full-fat, keto-friendly ice cream sweetened with erythritol and monk fruit. It has less than 3 grams of net carbs per serving.
• Nubocha: A low-carb, dairy-free gelato sweetened with allulose, a low-calorie sweetener that is excreted through urine and is unlikely to impact blood glucose or insulin levels.
• Enlightened: A keto-friendly ice cream sweetened with erythritol, allulose, monk fruit, and stevia.
• Nick's: A low-carb ice cream sweetened with allulose, erythritol, and stevia. It also uses vegetable juice instead of artificial coloring for its sprinkles.
• Halo Top: A low-carb ice cream with additional protein and low carbohydrates. It uses stevia leaf extract and the sugar alcohol erythritol to reduce sugar content.

In conclusion, low-carb ice cream can be a suitable treat for diabetics when consumed in moderation and as part of a balanced and nutritious diet. However, it is important to carefully consider the carbohydrate, calorie, and fat content of these products and choose those that align with individual dietary needs and preferences. Consulting a dietitian can help diabetics include ice cream in their dietary plans while effectively managing their blood sugar levels.

How to make keto ice cream at home

Ingredients

• Heavy cream, also known as double or thickened cream. Do not use reduced-fat or light versions.
• Powdered sweetener. Avoid using erythritol or monk fruit sweetener as these can crystallize.
• Xanthan gum to thicken the ice cream and prevent crystallization.
• Vanilla extract for flavour.

Optional ingredients:

• Butter
• Unsweetened cocoa powder
• Crushed keto Oreos
• Keto cookie dough
• Fresh strawberries
• Sugar-free chocolate chips
• Chopped pecans
• Sugar-free caramel syrup
• Keto peanut butter cups
• Sugar-free sprinkles
• Keto brownies

Method

• Make the mixture: In a deep jar, add all the ingredients and gently mix. Using an immersion or stick mixer, blend the mixture until it has thickened and soft peaks form.
• Freeze it up: Cover the jar and place it in the freezer for at least 4 hours, stirring every 30-40 minutes to ensure it doesn’t ice up.
• Serve: Scoop it out and serve immediately.

Tips

• If you have an ice cream maker, this recipe will work just as well in it.
• For the best results, stir the mixture every 30 minutes for the first couple of hours to ensure the ice cream is smooth and creamy.
• To make the ice cream dairy-free, swap the heavy cream for full-fat coconut cream.
• To make the ice cream vegan, use a plant-based butter alternative.
• To make the ice cream suitable for those with a nut allergy, swap the almond milk for coconut milk.

How to calculate net carbs

Net carbs refer to the amount of carbohydrates that are absorbed by your body. They are also known as digestible or impact carbs. To calculate net carbs, you need to subtract the amount of fibre and certain sugar alcohols from the total number of carbohydrates. This calculation can be done for both whole and processed foods.

For whole foods, you simply subtract the fibre from the total carbs. For example, an avocado has 17.1 grams of total carbs, 13.5 grams of which is fibre, leaving 3.6 grams of net carbs.

For processed foods, the calculation is a little more complex. Generally, you can subtract half of the carbs from sugar alcohols from the total carbs listed on the nutrition label. However, if the only sugar alcohol present is erythritol, you can subtract its full value from the total carbs.

For example, if a processed food contains 20 grams of total carbs, 10 grams of fibre, and 10 grams of sugar alcohols, you would subtract 10 grams of fibre and 5 grams of sugar alcohols (half of 10) from the total carbs, leaving 5 grams of net carbs.

It is important to note that the term "net carbs" is not recognised by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which recommends using total carbohydrates listed on nutrition labels. Additionally, the method of calculating net carbs is not universally agreed upon, and individual responses to sugar alcohols may vary.

When it comes to ice cream, there are low-carb options available that are suitable for a keto diet. These products typically use sugar substitutes and have a higher fat content than regular ice cream. While they may be a good option for those on a keto diet, they are not low in calories and may not be suitable for those on a calorie-restricted diet.

Is keto ice cream healthier than regular ice cream?

Regular ice cream is typically high in carbohydrates, which can be a problem for those on a keto diet. The keto diet involves drastically reducing your carb intake while eating most of your calories from fat and a moderate amount from protein. This shift in metabolism is known as ketosis, where your body uses ketones—which burn fat—instead of carbohydrates for energy.

Keto ice cream is made with plant fibres and sugar substitutes, such as sugar alcohols, stevia, and monk fruit, to keep the carbohydrate content low. This means that keto ice cream usually has fewer carbohydrates than regular ice cream.

However, keto ice cream is often higher in total calories than regular ice cream due to its high-fat content. This means that keto ice cream may not be suitable for those on a calorie-restricted diet.

Keto ice cream also tends to be higher in fat and calories per serving than regular ice cream. This is because the manufacturers of keto ice cream add oil or other fat sources to increase the total fat content.

In terms of ingredients, keto ice cream often contains more fibre additives than regular ice cream to influence taste and texture while keeping total carbohydrates low.

Therefore, while keto ice cream is a better choice for those looking to reduce their added sugar intake, it may not be healthier overall due to its higher fat and calorie content. It is important to remember that the keto diet is not suitable for everyone, and it is always best to consult a healthcare professional before making any significant dietary changes.

Frequently asked questions